The plot puts Brent Magna (Ethan Hawke), a washed-up race driver, in a race against time.

His wife has been kidnapped. To save her, he must steal a car and drive like a maniac through Bulgaria under orders issued by an austere presence who spies on Magna via cameras installed in the car.

The mysterious voice seems to be playing a video game with Magna at the wheel, making him crash through crowded parks and smash into squadrons of police cars.

The hero is mortified by the chores but willing to do them for the sake of his beloved.

Fortunately, his driving skills are sharp enough not to leave a huge body count.

Magna is eventually joined by a reluctant young adult known simply as the Kid (Selena Gomez), who, like every other teenager depicted in the movies, is tech-savvy beyond belief.

The heroes bicker predictably before bonding during the course of one night of careening through the city. What is the villain’s plan? How can they thwart said plan when their every move is being monitored?

If the screenwriters really wanted to mimic something, is Speed(1994) the best choice?

The baddie is framed only in suffocating close-ups featuring his yellowing teeth and two-day beard growth.Anyone could have played him, but producers landed Jon Voight, who might as well have sent in his performance via tweets.

Ditto for Hawke, whose acting chops have been lauded for decades. He gives the hero the requisite rage, anxiety and helplessness, but his character is woefully underwritten.

He mumbles, “I did things I’m not proud of.”

Cars smash and explosions shower the night sky with needed color, but they can’t obscure the fact that director Courtney Solomon and the script treat viewers like idiots.

The baddie says, “You’re running out of time.”

Thanks for reminding us — as if the numerous shots of the dashboard clock weren’t sufficient.

The real game is whether audiences can retain interest in the endless chase scenes until they learn the point of the game.

If you have the patience, a late chase features a terrific bumper’s-eye view of two vehicles weaving in and out of danger — the only shot worth watching closely. It’s striking because it’s different and cohesive.

It also takes advantage of the wide screen, making it seem — if only briefly — that the director isn’t creating something intended for a tiny screen.